Simon Pearson

Financial Crime and Compliance professional with 9+ years' experience across Transaction Monitoring, Financial Crime Investigations, Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), Quality Assurance, Quality Control and Regulatory Compliance within UK retail banking. Proven track record of strengthening governance controls, supporting regulatory reviews, improving operational quality and managing financial crime risk. Combines investigative expertise with quality, governance and stakeholder management experience gained through a career spanning financial services, international technology consulting and military service.

Consistently progressed into increasingly specialist and trusted roles through analytical capability, business improvement and professional credibility.

Compliance Consultant – Transaction Monitoring QC at Santander UK (2025-10 – 2026-08)

• Lead complex Quality Control reviews on TM alerts, specifically investigating tax avoidance schemes, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT) indicators, and illicit networks exploiting High-Risk Jurisdictions.
• Conduct Quality Control reviews of Transaction Monitoring investigations.
• Provide coaching and feedback to analysts.
• Support governance controls, quality standards and risk-based decision making.

Compliance Manager (CDD QC SME) / Compliance Consultant at Santander UK (2022-03 – 2025-09)

Achievement: Established and developed the Quality Control SME function and associated governance reporting framework.

• Led QC reporting and governance activities across Customer Due Diligence operations.
• Developed management reporting and appeals processes to strengthen oversight and control effectiveness.
• Worked with UK and offshore teams to improve consistency and quality standards.
• Supported Quality Assurance and Transaction Monitoring functions.

Financial Crime Investigator / Financial Crime Analyst at Santander UK (2019-01 – 2022-03)

Key Achievements

• Conducted Enhanced Due Diligence investigations, Event Driven Reviews and high-risk customer assessments.
• Investigated customers linked to Organised Crime Groups (OCGs), Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT), sanctions concerns, and terrorism-related activity.
• Worked with Financial Crime specialists, law enforcement stakeholders and regulatory review teams.
• Supported financial crime systems testing and process improvement initiatives.
• Selected as SME supporting management and colleague development.
• Led review of third-party supplier quality concerns and delivered improvement recommendations.
• Contributed to Santander's response to the FCA Section 166 Skilled Person Review.

Customer Communication Analyst at Santander UK (2018 – 2019)

Achievement: Awarded Outstanding Performance rating and nominated for Santander Incredible Hero Award.

• Produced executive reporting and operational analysis.
• Managed testing and implementation of customer communication solutions.

Customer Service Advisor at Santander UK (2016 – 2018)

• Delivered customer service and retail banking support.

SAP Sales & Distribution Consultant, Alliance Manager, Practice Director, Engagement Management at SAP Consulting

Progressed through consulting, management and business development roles delivering SAP, document management and business transformation solutions across the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

• SAP Sales & Distribution Consultant delivering implementation, business analysis and change programmes.
• Worked extensively with SAP UK promoting SAP-integrated business solutions to prospective customers.
• Progressed into Alliance Manager, Practice Director and Engagement Management roles.
• Approached by executive search consultants for a European General Manager position with a US records management organisation, progressing to the final shortlist.

Purchasing Systems Controller, IT Leadership at British Aerospace (1990 – 1996)

Progressed from Procurement Administration into systems and IT leadership responsibilities.

• Promoted to Purchasing Systems Controller following recognition for systems expertise and analytical capability.
• Managed purchasing and inventory management systems supporting procurement operations.
• Supported operations throughout the Gulf conflict.
• Transferred into IT and developed Microsoft Access business solutions.
• Assisted with migration from legacy procurement systems to SAP.
• Awarded a Gulf War Medal in recognition of support provided during operations in Saudi Arabia.

Writer / Leading Writer at Royal Navy (1983 – 1990)

• Managed personnel records, payroll, confidential correspondence and governance administration within a highly regulated environment.
• One of only two trainees in the intake to pass specialist Writer training without failure.
• Managed the Captain's Registry at HMS Gannet.
• Recognised by senior officers as having the potential to pursue a commission through the Upper Yardman programme.
• Operational Resilience: Deployed to the Middle East aboard HMS Brazen providing secure escort for British shipping through the Straits of Hormuz during active hostile engagements earning the General Service Medal with Gulf Clasp.

ICA Certificate in Compliance – Financial Crime Masterclass (2021)

Professional ICA training covering

AML | Transaction Monitoring | Transaction Screening | Counter Terrorist Financing | Sanctions | Politically Exposed Persons | Beneficial Ownership & Control | Economic Crime Act | Cryptoassets